Shuki Journalism Award in Georgia
On September 25th, a formal awards ceremony took place at the popular venue “Fabrika” in Tbilisi, marking the conclusion of the fourth round of the Shuki journalism award (“Light”) and the closing of the project.
The event was attended by representatives of the accredited diplomatic corps in Tbilisi, media organizations, previous winners, and the jury which selected the winners.
Winners of the final round of the Shuki journalism award are:
Eka Kevanishvili, a journalist for Radio Free Europe, for her piece “Who Will Be Left with Bakhmaro?” In this article, she investigates the implications of a multifunctional hotel complex being built by the construction company Orbi in Bakhmaro, a resort. She then explores what the future holds for the area if the project goes forward.
Tako Peikrishvili, a journalist for the regional publication “Southern Gates,” for her investigative report “A Budget for the Village and for ‘Dream’ Supporters—To Whom the Adigeni Mayor Allocated 1.5 Million Lari.” This piece uncovers corrupt dealings within the Adigeni municipal government, revealing that over the past five years, the mayor’s office has distributed 1.5 million lari (approximately $550,000) to companies owned by municipal employees and their relatives through direct procurement.
The third winners are investigative journalists Tskiarla Shermadini and Nino Zuriashvili from “Studio Monitor.” Their film, “The European Life of a ‘Dream’ Official,” delves into the undeclared income of high-ranking Georgian Dream official Romeo Mikautadze and the education of his children at European universities. This investigation aims to answer the question “How did the wife of a former senior official from the Ministry of Economy acquire an apartment in a historic district of Spain’s capital?”
About the award:
The Shuki journalism award has been presented since September 2023. The project was launched by the regional media portal JAMnews and the Estonian Centre for International Development and Cooperation.
The Estonian Centre for International Development and Cooperation (ESTDEV) is a government-funded foundation responsible for managing and implementing Estonia’s international and humanitarian projects.
The project was designed to last one year, featuring a permanent jury composed of Georgian and foreign journalists and media experts. Winners were announced every three months.
Over the course of the year, the Shuki journalism award, which included a cash prize of €1,000, was awarded to 12 journalists for their work.
You can find all the winning journalism on the award’s website.
“This was a very important and supportive project for journalists in this challenging, polarized media landscape. Over the past year, we have seen a wealth of high-quality journalism, making it increasingly difficult to choose the winners, which is certainly very good news,” said jury member and media expert Zviad Khoridze during the project’s closing ceremony.
“I was among those authors, and I never imagined I would be here today. This is a huge motivation and an incredible encouragement,” said journalist Tako Peikrishvili at the awards ceremony. She shared that she was especially nervous, as this was her first piece of journalism.
“While our government fights against everything European, we have found that our officials are creating comfortable lives for themselves in European countries,” noted investigative journalist Tskiarla Shermadini from “Studio Monitor.”
In addition to the award, the project includes a training trip for journalists to Estonia. During this week-long visit, Georgian journalists will familiarize themselves with the practices of central and local media in Estonia.
Shuki Journalism Award in Georgia